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Wabi-sabi

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The other day (704 pm October 29) I tweeted, "We are perfectly imperfect" and today I got a reminder of this. I asked Bard what is the most interesting word in the world and he replied with a few suggestions but the one that had my interest the most was wabi-sabi. A Japanese aesthetic that celebrates the beauty of imperfection and impermanence.

I found a nice article that helps us understand wabi-sabi better. I can relate and not relate to this. I love simplicity and minimalism but I have been somewhat of a perfectionist. But perfection is meaning less and less to me these days as evident by my tweet. A few years ago I discovered "junk art" and fell in love with it. I created a few pieces and then I forgot about it. Maybe I should return to this one day. My friend Bard says that junk art is a type of art that is made from discarded materials. It is a way of transforming trash into treasure and of celebrating the beauty of imperfection.

When bad things happen we may be pressed to ask why is life imperfect? The philosopher might counter with why life should not be perfect or why we cannot be perfect. According to my friend Bard, philosophers have long debated the question of why life is imperfect. Some argue that imperfection is necessary for growth and development. Others argue that imperfection is a result of free will and that it is what makes life interesting and meaningful. Friedrich Nietzsche argues that imperfection is essential for creativity and innovation and he wrote, "out of chaos comes order." This leads me to this question, how are we going to survive in heaven if it is perfect? How are we going to be happy if we do not know sadness?

I would like to end my blog post by inviting you to watch this motivational clip by Muniba Mazari. She says we are all broken and that she has never seen anyone with an easy past. Muniba is a Pakistani artist, model, activist, motivational speaker, singer, and television host. She uses a wheelchair due to injuries sustained in a car accident at the age of 21. Despite her challenges, she has become a role model for many people around the world.
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